


Star Spangled Bingo 2020

by SunriseRose1023



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Compliant, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Family Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Hospitalization, Hurt/Comfort, Hypothermia, Light Angst, Reader-Insert, Reader-Interactive, Secret Baby, Secret Relationship, Secrets, Serious Injuries, Sex Talk
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-24
Updated: 2020-02-05
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:54:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22383646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunriseRose1023/pseuds/SunriseRose1023
Summary: A Captain America-centric bingo, where each fill must focus on one of the three Caps: Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson, and Bucky Barnes. Each chapter will be a different square from my Bingo card, and the square will be mentioned in the ending notes. The characters, relationships, and tags will change as the bingo progresses.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Reader, Sam Wilson x You - Relationship, Sam Wilson/Reader, Steve Rogers/Reader
Comments: 2
Kudos: 36
Collections: Star Spangled Bingo 2020





	1. Chapter 1




	2. "Oh, that's how it is?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little early-morning banter with Sam takes a not-so-unexpected turn.

Sam stood in the doorway, one shoulder against the frame as he watched you get dressed. He let his eyes travel over your bare feet, covered in stockings with a seam down the back of your legs, the skirt you’d just pulled on hanging right at your knees. You zipped your skirt and stood with your hands on your hips, staring at the blouses you had hanging in your closet as Sam focused on the back clasp of your bra. **  
**

“You know …”

You jumped when you heard his voice, unaware that he’d come into the bedroom, or that he’d even returned from his morning run. You gave a quiet laugh, laying a hand over your heart. 

“You scared me. You need to make some noise, let me know when you’re sneaking up on me.”  
“Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of the sneak?”

You rolled your eyes. 

“You know what I mean.”  
“How am I supposed to defeat the bad guys if I can’t silently sneak up on them?”

You smiled. 

“So I’m the bad guy now?”

Sam hung his head. 

“This is how you’re going to be today?”  
“Yep.”

You popped the “p” and grinned at him as he stepped into the closet with you. His hands went to your waist as you reached up to hold his face, the stubble on his cheeks tickling your palms as he kissed you. When he pulled back, keeping his eyes closed for just a second, you smiled again, patting his chest. 

“You need to get in the shower. We’re going to be late.”  
“We could just say ‘fuck it’ and be real late if you get in the shower with me.”

You gave a soft laugh, gently pushing his chest, stepping away from him. 

“Hey, I tried to have a little fun this morning, but you insisted on going for your run.”

Sam’s eyes widened as his mouth dropped open and you shrugged, sliding your thumbs under your bra straps and “fixing” them, causing Sam’s eyes to dart down to your breasts, which were looking fabulous, thanks to that particular bra. He shook his head, eyes meeting yours again. 

“You did not.”  
“Oh, I did so. And you just ignored me to go run. I could have helped you with your cardio for the day, Mr. Wilson, but …”

Your shoulders lifted and fell, Sam’s attention caught again by your breasts. You stifled a laugh and he shook his head again. 

“You’re supposed to tell me these things!”  
“Do you know how unsexy it is to have to say ‘Hey, bud. I’d really like you to just rail me into the mattress right now?’”

Sam blinked furiously. 

“That is the opposite of unsexy.”  
“Hmm. Maybe next time, then.”

Sam stared at you, then pursed his lips and nodded. 

**“Oh, that’s how it is?”**

You shrugged again. 

“Looks like it.”

Sam slowly nodded. 

“Alright. Alright, that’s fine. You just remember—“

You lifted one eyebrow and Sam stammered, huffing out a breath as he stomped to the shower. You laughed to yourself when he was out of earshot, reaching for a shirt, then letting your hand fall to your side. You heard the shower turn on, biting your bottom lip as you glanced towards your alarm clock. 

Sam grumbled under his breath as he picked up his shampoo bottle, forcefully squirting some liquid into his hand, scrubbing his head too hard. He put his face in the water and spit out a mouthful, turning around in time to see the shower door open as you stepped inside. He opened his mouth, but you wrapped your arms around him, fixing your lips against his. His arms came around you, turning and pressing you against the cold tile wall, making you give a shaky laugh. Sam shook his head and you smiled. 

“Fuck it. Let’s be real late.”

Sam smiled, pulling you closer, hitching your leg around his waist as he leaned in to kiss you again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Square Filled: "Oh, that's how it is?"


	3. Huddling for Warmth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On a mission, you and Bucky get cut off from the rest of your team. You're hurt pretty badly, and Bucky does everything he can to keep you safe and warm until your team can find you.

“Hang in there. Just a little bit more. Come on.”

You nodded, clinging to Bucky’s metal arm. You were dragging your right foot behind you, one arm clutched to what you were sure were broken ribs. You couldn’t speak, since the HYDRA operatives you’d been tracking had been enhanced—something you weren’t expecting—and one had nearly crushed your throat before Bucky got the upper hand on him. 

A muscle in his jaw twitched every time he glanced back at you, because as soon as his eyes met yours, they’d flick down to the still spreading dark purple bruises on your neck. You’d tried to pull your suit higher, but without a scarf, there wasn’t much you could do to hide. 

Speaking of a scarf, it was fucking _freezing_. Snow swirled all around you, the cold biting through your suit. Holding onto Bucky’s metal arm was like clinging to a block of ice, and you were honestly afraid your fingers may be stuck to it. You really wished you’d listened to Steve and gone with at least the fingerless gloves. 

The HYDRA base had some sort of technology that made your comms die almost instantly, and even escaping the base—leaving no survivors behind—hadn’t changed anything. You had faith that Steve or Nat or maybe even Clint would figure it out soon and come save you, but there was no way you were waiting around all the blood and bodies, and there was no way you and Bucky could just sit outside and wait in the blizzard you were currently trudging through. 

You swallowed and gave a hoarse whine, and Bucky glanced back at you, jaw muscle twitching before he nodded. 

“Little bit further. Can you make it?”

You nodded, wincing as a pain shot through your body. Bucky blew out a breath, pulling you closer, turning to face you.

“There should be a safe house right behind those trees. Can you make it that far?”

You looked out towards where he was talking, your face falling when you saw the distance to the trees. You took in a deep breath and winced, eyes meeting his. You were trying—really, you were—but you were exhausted. Every inch of your body hurt, and Bucky nodded. 

“It’s okay. You’ve done so good. Here.”

He turned around and you shook your head, gripping his flesh shoulder. He glanced back at you and shook his head, snow flying from his hair. 

“You can’t walk that far. I can get us there quicker than you putting yourself through more pain. It won’t be pain-free, but let me carry you.”

You exhaled, staring into his blue-gray eyes, then nodded. You gasped as you climbed onto his back, doing your best to breathe through the pain, but tears were in your eyes when you were finally settled. 

“I’m sorry, kid.”

You nodded, wrapping your arms around him and tapping the side of his neck. Bucky nodded. 

“Just hang tight.”

You put your head down, face in his hair as he started walking. It jarred you at first, but you grit your teeth and soon got used to the rhythm of Bucky walking. You could feel his body heat through his suit, and you closed your eyes as your chest and stomach started to warm. 

“Y/N? Hey. Hey, don’t fall asleep. Come on, kid.”

You blinked heavy eyes open, glancing around. You lifted your face from Bucky’s dark hair, sliding off his back and landing on the front porch of a cabin. You looked up at him and he nodded, twisting the doorknob and walking inside. You waited by the door, stepping further inside when you couldn’t take the cold anymore. 

“All clear.”

You sank against the wall, rubbing shaking hands together and blowing into them, wincing when that hurt both your ribs and your throat. Bucky walked into the room and saw you, and he walked over to loop your arm around his neck, picking you up and carrying you to the sofa. He sat you down and threw the blanket on the back over your shoulders. You nodded to him and tried to smile, and he gave you a forced smile back as he knelt before you. 

“I’m going to start a fire, okay? See if I can’t get you warm.”

You poked a numb finger into his chest and he rolled his eyes. 

“Don’t worry about me.”

You poked him again and he gave a soft laugh. 

“You’re shivering so hard I’d think that couch was a vibrator if I sat beside you.”

Your eyes widened and Bucky laughed again. He patted your knee and stood up, and you tried to pull the blanket tighter around you. 

He had a fire going in no time, the logs crackling and popping as the flames burned through them. Bucky lifted the sofa and pushed it closer to the fireplace, and you held out your hands, wincing as you reached for warmth. Bucky grabbed a few more blankets and surrounded you with them, and you’d at least stopped shivering. You still felt cold, so you knew Bucky must feel the same, but he wouldn’t stop moving for you to ask. He did find a pen and a notepad, so you were at least not gesturing anymore. 

He always glanced your way whenever he made it into the room, whether to throw another log on the fire or check your blanket nest or—his best idea yet—finding a pot in the kitchen and filling it with snow, boiling it over the fire so you’d at least have something to drink. 

You held a cup of the cooled snow water in your hands, wincing every time you swallowed. Bucky walked into the room and you tapped your pen against the notepad, getting his attention. He lifted his eyebrows when he looked at you and you held up the notepad. 

_Would you PLEASE sit down?_

He huffed out a breath. 

“I had to check every nook and cranny around here, make sure we’re safe.”

You scribbled across the notepad. 

_You did that 3 times already. Relax._

Bucky sighed. He narrowed his eyes at you and you raised an eyebrow at him, and he finally acquiesced, walking over and sitting beside you on the sofa. He exhaled, and you reached over, patting his flesh arm. He turned and grabbed your hand, shaking his head. 

“Jesus, Y/N. You’re freezing.”

You pointedly looked at the blankets around you and nodded at the fire, but Bucky shook his head. 

“It’s not enough. You’re going to catch hypothermia. And with your ribs broken the way they are …”

He swallowed, and you raised an eyebrow. Bucky shook his head, unfastening the buckles on his suit. Both of your eyebrows jumped to your hairline when he shook off the jacket, pulling the tank over his head and standing before you in some serious shirtless glory. You blinked and he started unwrapping blankets from around you. You shook your head and he hung his, letting out a breath before lifting his head and staring into your eyes. 

“Your lips are blue. Don’t even try and start with me.”

You opened your mouth and he glared at you. You shut your mouth, unwrapping the blankets around you and giving a full-body shiver. Your eyes widened and your mouth fell open when you looked to Bucky, who was cursing under his breath, now clad in just his boxers. 

“Buck—“  
“Don’t talk. Christ, you sound like you’ve gargled glass.”

You shook your head and he rolled his eyes. 

“Body heat is the quickest way to warm you up.”

You opened your mouth and he closed his eyes, shaking his head. You leaned forward and grabbed the notepad, handwriting shaky this time. 

_I don’t think I can take my suit off._

Bucky’s lips moved as he read the message, and you watched him swallow before he nodded. 

“Can you stand? I’ll help you.”

You nodded, gasping and shivering when you were free from the blankets. Bucky helped you stand, made sure you were steady on your sprained ankle—at least, that’s what you _hoped_ it was—then leaned around you, picking up the sofa and pushing it closer to the fire. 

He came back and stood before you, and you pointed to your back. He moved a bit, finding the zipper at your neckline, slowly unzipping your suit. You shivered, giving a hoarse moan when the chill in the cabin hit your now bare skin. Bucky unfastened your bra before you could say anything about it, stepping in front of you and pulling you to his chest. You gasped, moaning brokenly before burrowing closer to him. 

“Shit, baby. You should have said something. God, you’re freezing.”

You nodded, putting your face in his neck. Bucky cursed again, rubbing his flesh arm up and down your back. 

“My damn arm …”

He sighed, and you wobbled a bit, both of his arms coming around you to steady you. 

“Easy. Here, let’s sit down.”

You nodded, letting him lead you to the sofa. You sat down, hunching over towards the fire, moaning softly when that tugged at your broken ribs. Bucky fixed blankets around you, then crawled onto the sofa behind you, pulling you to his chest. You gave a low keen, and Bucky shushed you, rubbing his flesh hand up and down your arm before pulling the blankets around the two of you. 

You sat like that for a while, huddled together in the blankets by the roaring fire, Bucky’s flesh arm gently caressing you while he tried to keep his metal arm away from you. You leaned your head back against his and he turned his head, touching his forehead to your temple. You let your hand drift down to the back of his, slowly tracing letters. 

_B A B Y_

“‘Baby?’”

You nodded, tapping his wrist. Bucky moved his head to your ear, growling the words there, making you giggle. 

“Are you having delusions? Hearing things? You may be worse off than I thought.”

You shook your head, reaching up and scratching his stubbled chin. He sighed, shifting a bit, pulling you closer. 

“I guess I let it slip, huh?”

You nodded, shifting your position, sitting sideways in his lap, head on his shoulder. He sighed again, resting his head atop yours. 

“I just … I didn’t mean … “

He blew out a breath. 

“It took me off-guard how cold your touch was. I didn’t realize how cold you still were. The damn serum or whatever I’ve got keeps me from getting too hot or too cold, but I should have been thinking about you.”

You shook your head, clutching his flesh arm. He glanced down at you, licking his lips. 

“You’re tired, aren’t you?”

You nodded, widening your eyes and shaking your head. Bucky smiled, cupping your chin in his flesh hand. 

“You don’t have to be scared. And you don’t have to stay awake for me. You’re warming up. I’ll keep watch, keep an eye out for the quinjet. Rest.”

You nodded, sitting up and moving until you were backwards in his lap, your soft breasts pressed against his chest. Bucky gave a soft groan, pulling you closer. Within seconds, you were asleep, wrapped in his warmth, and Bucky stretched out on the couch, twisting until you were laying beside him. He tucked as many blankets around you as he could, putting your back to the fire, staring at your sleeping face, the few wispy hairs that had escaped the bun on top of your head that Nat must have helped you with. 

Bucky sighed, feeling his own eyes grow heavy. He blinked and widened his eyes, staring into the fire. You snuggled closer to him, and he let his arms hold you tighter. Surely someone would notice the smoke from the chimney. If not, they’d see his multiple SOS from around the house and come find them. 

He shifted a bit on the sofa, holding you close, resting his head atop yours. He wouldn’t be any good to you exhausted. Just a few minutes of shuteye is all he’d need, and he’d be back in fighting shape. His eyes slid closed as one of the logs broke in the fireplace, sending sparks flying up the chimney and a burst of heat towards your back. 

* * *

“Shit. I found them!”

Steve dropped his shield as he ran to the couch, breath visible when he exhaled. 

“Damn it. Come on. Come on, guys.”

He unwrapped blankets from the bodies on the couch, neither of which were responding to his pleas. He untangled the last blanket to discover you on top of Bucky, both of you clad only in your underwear. Steve reached a shaky hand to press two fingers under your jaw, giving a breath of relief. He moved his hand to Bucky’s neck, giving a breathy laugh when he felt the slow throb of Bucky’s heart. 

_“Goddamn it, Steve. Give us a status report!”_

Steve sat back on his heels, one finger going to the piece in his ear. 

“They’re alive.”

Breaths of relief seemed to echo in his ear. He shook his head, speaking again as he tucked blankets back around the two of you, surveying your bodies as best he could 

“Y/N has severe bruising to her neck.”  
_“How severe?”  
_“From ear to ear, Tony. God, her throat looks horrible.”

The comms were quiet, until Tony spoke up again. 

_“What about Barnes?”  
_“No visible bruises. They’re both alive, but unresponsive.”  
_“Probably hypothermic.”  
_“Definitely. Looks like they had a fire going and they’re huddled together under a ton of blankets, but they’re still cold.”  
_“Together?”_

Mumbles sounded in his ear and Steve rolled his eyes. He glanced out the window and spoke again. 

“Looks like the jet could land fairly close to this cabin.”  
_“We’re almost there, Cap. Think you can get them out yourself?”_

Steve pursed his lips, then nodded. He started to try and pick you up, pulling you away from Bucky, but Bucky weakly grabbed onto you, holding you close and giving a quiet grunt. Steve let you go, watching Bucky calm a bit and smiled. 

“On second thought, I may need a little backup.”

* * *

“Y/N? Hey. Can you hear me?”

You did hear something, but it sounded like you were underwater. 

“Come on, honey. Open your eyes.”

You didn’t want to. It was nice and dark and warm where you were, and you wanted to stay there. 

_Wait._

Warm?

You groaned, feeling a gentle pressure on your hand. 

“Easy. Take it easy, Y/N. Take it slow.”

It felt like a chore, and honestly took a lot of work, but you finally opened your eyes. You turned to see Tony sitting beside your bed, a soft smile on his face. 

“There you are. Hi there.”

You blinked and he nodded. 

“How you feeling?”

You lifted a shaky hand to your throat and he nodded. 

“Yeah you, uh … You had us all worried. Your vocal cords were damaged pretty badly, but with as quiet as you’ve been … still, Dr. Cho wants you to rest your voice as much as you can.”  
“And that’s why I’m here.”

You turned your head to see Clint at the foot of your bed. He smiled at you, moving his hands as he signed while he spoke. 

“They knew you were pretty good at sign language, so we decided to have me translate until Cho gives you the go-ahead to talk again.”

You raised an eyebrow and Clint grinned at you. 

“Hey, I can do it. I won’t even lie and tell them you’re saying nothing but bad words.”

You smiled, turning your head and giving a deep sigh. You patted your side, noticing then how bandaged up you were. You looked back to Tony and he nodded. 

“Four, five, and six are broken on the right, eight and nine on the left.”

You looked to Clint and finger spelled _F-O-O-T._ He nodded. 

“Broke your right ankle.”

You let your head fall back to the pillows and he smiled. 

“Please. I’ve had worse.”

Tony didn’t need an interpreter when you held your middle finger up to Clint, the two of them laughing softly. You looked back to Clint, fingerspelling another word. He gave you a soft smile. 

“He’s alright. They had a time warming him up, but he’s doing better now.”

You furrowed your brows, hands slowly moving. Clint watched for a moment, then nodded. 

“Yeah, you both were badly hypothermic when we finally got to you. There’d been a fire, but it was long burned out.”

You shook your head and Tony patted your shoulder. 

“It took us almost two days to find you.”

You looked back to Clint, motioning again. 

“He’s okay, babe. I promise.”

You signed again and Clint’s eyebrows raised before he slowly nodded. 

“Yeah, I’ll get him.”  
“Barton, if you’re going to translate, you’ve got to do it both ways.”  
“She just said she wants to see him. I said I’d get him.”

Tony rolled his eyes and you smiled at him. You nodded and he sighed. 

“Don’t scare us like that again, got it?”

You nodded, and he leaned up, kissing your forehead before standing up and opening the door. 

“Goddamn it, Barton, I said I’m fine. Ain’t nothing wrong with my legs.”  
“Clearly something’s wrong with your ears, though. Cho said take it easy—“  
“And that means I can’t even walk?”  
“Stop being such a whiny baby. Nothing’s wrong with _her_ ears.”

Clint pushed a wheelchair into your room, and you smiled at the sight of a clearly grumpy Bucky. His face softened when he saw you, leaning forward and taking your hand when Clint rolled him close to your bed.

“Hey, sunshine. How you feeling?”

You shook your head, pushing your hand away from your chest and Clint laughed. 

“Lousy, she says.”

Bucky held your eyes for a minute, then spoke. 

“Hey, Barton? Can you give us a minute?”  
“Oh, I’ve been hired to translate.”  
“I think I can handle her for a few minutes.”  
“But I —“  
“Clint.”

Bucky glanced over his shoulder. Clint looked to you and you nodded, and he raised his eyebrows before he turned and walked out. You looked to Bucky and he sighed. He shook his head, reaching out and laying his hand on yours. 

“I’m sorry.”

You shook your head and he gave your hand a squeeze. 

“No, I … I should have taken better care of you. I fell asleep and—“

You sat up, wincing with your broken ribs, laying a finger against his lips. Bucky closed his eyes, reaching up and taking hold of your hand. You smiled, resting back against the pillows. There was a whiteboard and a marker on your bedside table, and Bucky grabbed it, handing it to you. You wrote for a moment, then turned the board around for him to read. 

_You saved me._

Bucky swallowed, shaking his head. You nodded and he blew out a breath. 

“But I should never have fallen asleep. I should have kept the fire going, made sure you were warm.”

You underlined the words, forcefully motioning the board towards him again. He hung his head and you set the board aside, scooting closer to him and reaching out to hold his face in your hands. He lifted his head and you felt him swallow before he shook his head, moving closer to you until his lips were touching yours. 

You swear your heart stopped, but your brain kicked in and you kissed him back. He broke away and settled his forehead against yours, giving a sigh. 

“I’ve wanted to do that for a while.”

He laughed when you pinched his side and he nodded, never moving his head from yours. 

“I don’t know why I didn’t do it sooner. I should have, before I almost let you freeze to death.”

He yelped when you pinched him again, pulling his head back to glare at you. You smiled, lifting a hand to his cheek, rubbing your thumb over his cheekbone. He leaned into the touch and you took his metal hand, lacing your fingers with his. Bucky glanced down at your joined hands and nodded. 

“Tony said he’s going to work on some upgrades. Temperature regulation or something. Maybe some way we can cover the metal with something smoother? Or warmer? I didn’t really understand the intricacies of what he was saying.”

You nodded and rolled your eyes, and Bucky smiled. 

“Right. It’s Tony. Who can understand him? Besides Pepper?”

You mouthed _“Pepper”_ at the same time Bucky said her name, and the two of you shared a smile before Bucky sighed. 

“I really want to kiss you again.”

You raised an eyebrow and he smiled as he ducked his head. 

“I don’t know what I’m waiting on. I’m afraid I’ll hurt you.”

You rolled your eyes, pulling your hand from his and settling back against your pillows. You motioned with your head and his eyes widened. 

“What about when your audience comes back in?”

You grabbed the whiteboard and scribbled on it, turning it so Bucky could read. 

_They found us wrapped up together in our underwear. If they’re surprised by us making out, it’s their own damn fault._

Bucky laughed when he read your message, then nodded. He climbed up onto the bed with you, laying on his side, brushing your hair away from your face. 

“I’m sorry it’s taken me so long.”

You shook your head and he nodded, focusing on his hand in your hair. 

“I’m probably going to be a mess sometimes. Just … don’t give up on me?”

You reached up to hold his wrist, grabbing the whiteboard again. 

_I’m not going anywhere._

Bucky smiled, nodding his head. His eyes met yours and you set the whiteboard aside, then looked into his blue-gray eyes again. You mouthed the words, careful to make no sound. 

_Kiss me._

Bucky grinned, nodding as he moved closer to you, the two of you huddled together once again, this time for a different sort of warmth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Square Filled: Huddling for Warmth


	4. Uniform

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve’s faced with a massive choice. Does he let go of the biggest secret he’s ever kept, or does he let go of the shield? Which one can he stand to lose?

Steve glanced at his watch, exhaling audibly. Tony closed his eyes, then placed his hands on the table as he leaned forward. **  
**

“You got somewhere to be, Cap?”

Steve looked over at him, eyes flicking around the table at the rest of the people in the meeting. He gave a shake of his head. 

“No. No, I … nope.”

Tony narrowed his eyes, but nodded. 

“Okay, so we ship out at 2300 hours. See you all at the jet.”

The room buzzed with noise as everyone got up to exit the conference room. Steve walked over to Bucky, motioning with his head towards the hall. Bucky nodded, following Steve, and when the door had closed behind him, Bucky turned to shake his head. 

“You can’t go on this mission.”  
“Well, I can’t bow out.”  
“Yes the hell you can! What are you going to do if—“  
“You know I wouldn’t ask this if I had any other option, but …”

Bucky’s blue eyes nearly bugged out of his head. 

“ _I’m_ not sitting this mission out! Don’t even ask that.”  
“But Buck—“  
“Don’t _‘Buck’_ me. This is the moment, Steve. Where you nut up and tell them or else pray something kills you out there before … _you-know-who_ gets ahold of you.”

Steve huffed out a breath, shaking his head. 

“If I try to back out, they’ll know.”  
“You’re an idiot if you think everything will be fine if you head out on this mission.”

Steve lifted a hand, rubbing it along his chin. 

“It will be fine.”

Bucky just stared at him, a look of disbelief on his face as he shook his head. 

“It’s cute that you believe that.”

* * *

“You’re kidding me, right?”

Steve hung his head. 

“If there was any—“  
“There is. Look them in the eye and say ‘Sorry, I can’t go.’”  
“And what about when they want an explanation? What am I supposed to tell them then?”  
“Here’s a novel idea: how about the truth?”

Steve sighed, running a hand over his face. 

“You know it’s not that simple.”  
“Then _make_ it simple. Do you understand exactly what’s happening here?”

Steve narrowed his eyes. 

“Of course I understand.”  
“Do you? Because I don’t think you do.”

Steve sighed again. 

“If I had any other choice—“  
“See, that’s the thing. You _do_ have a choice. You just tell yourself you don’t so you won’t have to feel guilty. Well, let me tell you something.”

Steve’s eyes widened as a delicate finger poked his chest. 

“If you step on that jet tonight, I swear to God, that’s it.”

Steve’s blue eyes widened. 

“You are _not_ hitting me with an ultimatum.”  
“Yep. Sure am.”  
“You can’t—“  
“You are talking about leaving the country for an indeterminate amount of time when I am _this close_. It’s not happening, Steven.”

He blinked, giving a shake of his head. 

“This is my job. You realize that, right?”  
“Do you realize that if you leave tonight I’m taking it as you’re _leaving_ _me_? This is _it_ , Steve. This is the _one thing_ I asked you to be around for.”

He glanced away and you blinked, then shook your head. 

“You know what? Forget it. Go ahead and go. Have fun on your trip; try not to die.”

Steve hung his head as you turned and walked away. He followed you into the bedroom, watching you lug your suitcase from the closet and toss it onto the bed. He closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. 

“What are you doing?”  
“What does it look like, _Captain_?”

He almost flinched at the venom in your voice. 

“Baby—“  
“Do not ‘baby’ me! God!”

You glared at him, shaking your head. 

“Don’t you come in here and try to butter me up. I’m not giving in on this. If that makes me a bitch, fine. I’m a bitch. But this is the _one thing_ , Steve. This is the one thing we can’t get back, and call me selfish, but I want you there.”

You stomped over to the dresser, going still as your hands flew up to cover your face. 

“Damn it.”

Steve closed his eyes when he heard your first sob. He exhaled, then walked over to you, wrapping his arms around you from behind. You shook your head, letting your hands fall and grip his wrists. 

“I know it’s asking a lot. But please … please don’t leave me right now.”  
“If I don’t go, they’re going to get suspicious.”  
“So let them. They’re a bunch of spies, Steve. They should have already caught on.”  
“What if I get Bucky to stay?”

You groaned, pushing out of his arms, turning to face him. 

“I don’t want Bucky. I want _you_.”

You shook your head. 

“The worst part of all of this is I don’t even think you really want to be there.”

Steve’s eyebrows furrowed. 

“Of course I want to be there!”  
“Then why are you fighting me so hard?!”

He just stared at you and you shook your head again, tears welling up in your eyes. 

“You just don’t want your friends finding out? Do you know how cheap that makes me feel?”

Steve closed his eyes. 

“We’ve been over this.”  
“I know. We’ve run the fucking topic into the ground. You want to keep me safe or whatever, but all I feel is you want to keep me as your dirty little secret.”  
“That’s not—“  
“Well, congratulations. I feel dirty every time you leave.”

Steve stared at you. 

“How can you think that? How can you feel that, especially _now_?”  
“Look at our life, Steve. You won’t take me around your friends, who also happen to be your coworkers. You won’t take me out on dates.”  
“You said you were okay with that.”  
“Well, that was before now.”

You stared at Steve, who just stared back at you. After a silent battle of wills for a few moments, you nodded. 

“You’re going to go, aren’t you?”

Steve didn’t say anything, but you nodded again. 

“Well, I meant what I said. Try not to die, okay?”  
“Y/N. Y/N, wait—

The slamming of the bathroom door cut him off. He took in a deep breath, hanging his head, reaching a hand up to pinch at his nose.

* * *

“You’re a goddamn idiot.”

Steve ground his teeth together as he adjusted his gloves, glaring at Bucky. 

“Just shut up.”  
“No, I’m not going to shut up. Do you know how huge this is? And you’re just going to miss it?”

Steve whirled to face him, barging into Bucky’s personal space. 

“Do you think I _want_ to do this?”  
“Honestly? Yes.”

Steve stopped, face a mask of confusion when Bucky shook his head. He lifted his metal hand and let his pointer finger tap against the star in the middle of Steve’s uniform. 

“You’re hiding behind that shield. Yes, this is your job, it’s what you took the serum for, blah blah blah. But Steve … you have a chance at a normal life here. Something you’ve been harping on for the last couple of years. Ever since you met Y/N, come to think of it. And you’re just going to let it slip through your fingers?”

He shook his head. 

“You really think I’m hiding behind this shield?”  
“No, Steve. I _know_ you are.”

Steve glanced at the shield he had propped against the wall, ready to be picked up and strapped onto his wrist at a moment’s notice. 

“I’m not hiding. This is my job. This is who I am, Buck.”

Bucky pursed his lips and nodded. 

“If I were to go ask Y/N right now, is that what she’d say? If I said “who is Steve Rogers,’ would she say he’s a shield and a star-spangled uniform? Or would she say something like you’re the love of her life? That you’re smart and funny and okay in bed?”

Steve closed his eyes, a half-smile on his face. Bucky gripped his shoulders, squeezing until Steve was looking him in the eye. 

“I know you want to protect her. I know you think if all those people know then it makes her vulnerable somehow, but come on. Don’t do this. Don’t go on this mission out of some stupid sense of duty. You’ve got a bigger duty to worry about.”

Bucky gave a sigh, shaking his head as he let his arms drop. 

“And to be quite honest? You know I’m with you until the end of the line, but … I don’t know if I can respect someone who can turn his back like you’re doing.”

Steve went still and Bucky shrugged as he turned and walked away. Steve turned his head, eyes on the mirror as he studied his reflection. 

His uniform had always been something he’d taken pride in. He wore the star on his chest with honor, proudly sported the red, white, and blue because he was a tried-and-true patriot. But now …

All of a sudden … the suit felt suffocating. The star seemed to mock him, it’s location over his heart somehow aching. He glanced towards the shield propped up against the wall, his arm giving a phantom ache as he thought of picking the shield up. 

_“Captain Rogers, the team is assembled at the jet. They’re waiting on you, sir.”_

Steve swallowed, looking at himself in the mirror. He nodded. 

“Thank you, F.R.I.D.A.Y.”

He walked over and picked up the shield, straightening his shoulders and making his way to the jet.

* * *

“There he is! Mr. Punctual finally decides to show up. Come on, Cap. We’re wheels up in two.”

Steve nodded, stopping at the base of the ramp.

“Tony, I’m not going.”

Tony turned to face him, the rest of the nosy team poking their heads around. Sam came to stand beside Tony, Natasha on his other side. Steve nodded to them. 

“You can handle this.”

Tony shook his head. 

“Have you forgotten you’re the _captain_? I know I talk a big talk, but you’re the boss here. We listen to you. They’re all just _dying_ for one of your rousing speeches.”  
“Someone else is going to have to give it this time.”  
“What the hell, Cap?”

Steve looked around, seeing Bucky’s knowing smile. He nodded to him, then tossed him the shield. Bucky caught it easily, and Steve smiled at him. 

“Bring it back in one piece, would ya?”  
“I got this, punk.”

Steve rolled his eyes, stepping back from the ramp. He nodded, then turned and walked away. Tony stared after him, shaking his head. 

“Well, fine. Just fine. Buckle in, people.”

* * *

Steve burst through the door, hearing your gasp and seeing popcorn fly from the couch. You jerked around, eyes widening when you saw him standing there in his uniform. 

“What the hell, Steve?!”  
“I’m an idiot. I’m so …”

He walked over and knelt in front of you, shaking his head and taking your hands as tears sparked in your eyes.

“I’m so sorry. I can’t believe I even _thought_ of leaving. There’s no …”

He shook his head and you took his face in your hands. 

“But you didn’t.”  
“I just knew I’d come back to an empty house. I was so scared you’d be gone.”

You nodded. 

“I thought about it. But I … I’m just tired, Steve.”  
“I know, baby.”  
“Don’t ever do that again.”  
“I won’t.”

You ran your hands over the padding of his uniform, fingers brushing over the bumps of hidden Kevlar and different materials designed to keep him safe. You shook your head and he leaned in, pressing his lips to yours. You let your hands move back to his face, freshly shaven and smooth. He didn’t move his mouth from yours, speaking against your lips and making you smile. 

“Do you want me to clean up the popcorn or take you to bed?”  
“Popcorn can wait. I don’t think I can.”

Steve gave a quiet laugh, nodding as he stood up, helping you to your feet, one hand in yours, the other against your back as he walked with you to the bedroom. 

* * *

Two months later, there was a knock at the door. Steve stood up from the couch, yawning widely as he walked to the door. He opened it and his eyes widened. 

“Guess who’s back and ready to hear an explanation?”

Steve sighed, narrowing his eyes at Sam and Bucky over Natasha’s head. He nodded, stepping back and holding the door open. When everyone was inside, Steve shut the door and stood with his back against it. Bucky moved his metal hand to his chest. 

“They made me bring them here.”  
“Throwing us under the bus right off the bat, Barnes?”

Bucky shrugged and Steve nodded. Natasha crossed her arms over her chest, shaking her head. 

“A house in the country, Steve? A born-and-bred Brooklyn boy like you?”

He shrugged his shoulders and she narrowed her eyes. 

“And what’s with the beard? Did you sit out on this mission just to let yourself go? Speaking of, Tony’s ready to fire your ass, you know that, right?”  
“I don’t work for Tony.”  
“Well, who do you work for? Because as of right now, that’s pretty damn hard to tell.”  
“Excuse me.”

Natasha whirled around at the distinctly feminine voice, eyes wide. You smiled at the group of people in your living room, pushing the sleeves of Steve’s sweatshirt down your arms. 

“Can you keep it down? I’m going to try and take a nap.”

Steve nodded, and you walked into the bedroom, closing the door behind you. Natasha turned to face him, eyes still wide. 

“Who was that?”  
“If you’d just come have a seat—“  
“Oh, I don’t think so.”

Steve looked to a smiling Bucky.

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”  
“Immensely.”

Natasha whirled to face Bucky. 

“You knew?”

Bucky nodded, wincing when Natasha punched him in the arm. Steve nodded. 

“Sam, you’re unusually quiet back there.”  
“Just taking it all in.”

Steve smiled. 

“I think this is something easier shown than talked about. Come with me.”

Natasha marched after him, and Bucky clapped Sam on the shoulder as they walked down a hallway, stopping at a closed door. Steve had a soft smile on his face as he pushed it open and Natasha gasped. 

The room was airy and light, gauzy curtains blowing in the gentle breeze coming in through the open window. The floor was covered in plush carpeting, the walls painted a light blue. Natasha’s mouth stayed open as she surveyed the room, a hand flying to cover her heart when she saw the white crib against the wall. She walked over and peeked inside, blinking back tears when she saw the swaddled baby sleeping there. 

She turned to Steve and shook her head. 

“There’s a baby.”

He gave a soft laugh. 

“Yes, there is.”

Sam and Bucky huddled around Natasha, a smile coming to Bucky’s face. Sam slowly shook his head. 

“This is why you couldn’t go on the mission.”

Steve had his hands in the pockets of his sweats, nodding his head. 

“This is why I’m not going to be doing much avenging anymore.”

Bucky was grinning when he looked over his shoulder at Steve. 

“What kind is it?”  
“Jesus. It’s not an ice cream flavor, Barnes.”

Steve gave a quiet laugh at both Bucky and Sam, then nodded to Bucky. 

“It’s a boy.”

Bucky gave a quiet laugh. 

“I owe you twenty bucks.”

Steve nodded and Natasha left the crib, walking over to stand in front of him. 

“You didn’t tell us.”

Steve nodded as he looked down. Natasha shook her head, looking back over her shoulder at the crib. 

“Why did you keep all this a secret?”

Steve sighed. 

“I thought if people knew, then Y/N would be in danger. And then when she got pregnant, I was terrified that someone would find out and take her from me. She was okay with keeping the secret, but as time went on and she got bigger … I don’t know. She didn’t want to be a secret anymore. She tried to get me to tell you, to tell the team, but I … I let my fear control me.”

Sam shook his head. 

“You’ve got to know that we’d do whatever we could to protect her.”

Steve nodded. 

“I didn’t want to ask that of you. If I’d have gone on that mission, I would have lost them. Y/N dug her heels in and gave me an ultimatum: that mission was the last straw. But it wasn’t until he was born that it became clear to me.”

Steve walked over to the crib, watching his son sleep peacefully in the presence of his closest friends. 

“I should have told you, given you some clue that I wasn’t just abandoning you guys. I was just too scared to face it.”

Sam shook his head, walking over to Steve, gripping his shoulder as he looked down into the crib. Bucky came and stood on Steve’s other side, and after a moment, Natasha walked over to stand beside Sam. Sam smiled, laying a hand on her shoulder. 

“Does he have a name?”

Steve smiled. 

“Ethan. Ethan Grant Rogers.”

Bucky clapped Steve on the back, and Steve smiled. Natasha swallowed, then spoke softly, her voice barely a whisper. 

“Can I hold him?”

Steve smiled and nodded, reaching into the crib, big hands cradling the infant as he passed him into Natasha’s waiting arms. She settled, gently patting his bottom, staring at the baby. Sam looked over her shoulder and smiled.

“He’s beautiful, Steve.”  
“Looks just like Y/N, thank god.”

Steve elbowed Bucky, who gave a quiet laugh. Natasha murmured in Russian to the baby, and Sam nodded to her. 

“What did you say?”  
“She’s welcoming him into the world. To the family.”

Sam glanced back at Bucky, who shrugged. 

“Don’t want to get rusty.”

Sam shook his head and Natasha murmured some more, calling him sweet pet names that made Bucky smile. He murmured to her in Russian and she murmured something back that made him blush. Steve shook his head, reaching out his hands. 

“Please don’t corrupt my son.”

Natasha smiled as she handed the baby back, and Steve cradled Ethan in his arms, shifting him to his shoulder. Everyone smiled when the baby snuggled up against Steve’s neck, and Steve glanced to the door to see you standing there. 

“I thought you were going to take a nap.”  
“I wanted to make sure you weren’t creepily watching him sleep again.”

Steve smiled as you walked over, looping an arm around his back, gentle hand moving to Ethan’s back. 

“He should be getting hungry soon.”

Steve nodded, and you glanced around the room, at the two new faces and the one who’d figured out the secret a long time ago. 

“Would you like to stay for dinner? Steve has completely mastered the art of the takeout order.”

Sam laughed, sharing a glance with the rest of the room. He nodded, holding out his hand. You shook it, introducing yourself to him and then Natasha. Ethan started to squirm and fuss, so you took him from Steve, swaying as you walked, patting his bottom and talking low as you left the room.

Sam shook his head when you left the room, and Natasha turned to Steve. 

“Tony’s going to have a field day with this.”

Steve lifted a hand to scratch at his neck, a sheepish look on his face. 

“I was thinking maybe we just wouldn’t tell him?”

Bucky let out a laugh. 

“Oh no, buddy. This secret’s _definitely_ coming out now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Square Filled: Uniform
> 
> **This work is being double-posted, here and as a standalone so I can tag it differently.**


End file.
